Power driven wheeled gate



June 28, 1.966 M. R. MEALER 3,257,756

POWER DRIVEN WHEELED GATE Filed Deo. 11, 1963 4 Sheets-Sheet l Mar w'nR. Mea/er IN VEN T0 R BY gwn@ vg/M June 28, 1966 M. R. MEALl-:R3,257,756

POWER DRIVEN WHEELED GATE Filed Dec. l1, 1965 N 4 Sheets-Shea?I 2 Marvinl?. Mea/er INVENTOR.

BY @www June 28, 1966 M. R. MEALER PowER DRIVEN WHEELED GATE 4Sheets-Sheet 3 Filed Dec. 11, 1963 Fig. 3

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Marvin R. Mea/er INVENTOR.

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June 28, 1966 M. R. MEALER POWER DRIVEN WHEELED GATE 4 Sheets-Sheet 4Filed Deo. l1, 1963 United States Patent O "ice 3,257,756 POWER DRIVENWHEELED GATE Marvin R. Mealer, Rte. 1, Milo, Mo. Filed Dec. 11, 1963,Ser. No. 329,627 2 Claims. (Cl. 49 264) This invention relates to anovel and useful power driven wheeled gate and more specifically to a.gate construction adapted for opening and closing a drive openingformed in a fence. The gate construction of the instant inventionincludes a support section adapted to function as a section of fencingadjacent a drive opening in a length of fencing and movably supports apanel-like gate element for longitudinal reciprocation between extendedand retracted positions closing' and opening the adjacent drive openingthrough the length of fencing.

The gate construction includes a reversible electric' motor supportedfrom the gate element and operative to open and close the gateconstruction. A special gate actuating circuit is provided and with thecircuit includes an opening circuit and a closing circuit with eachcircuit being provided with a pair of switch means operable to close thecorresponding circuit to the reversible electric motor. In this manner,an opening switch and a closing switch may be disposed on each side ofthe gate construction and disposed on opposite sides of the drive orroad whereby the driver of a vehicle may open the gate when approachingthe latter by driving alongside and actuating the opening switch on theapproach side of the gate and may close the gate after passing throughthe gate opening by driving alongside the closing switch on thedeparture side of the gate assembly.

The opening and closing circuit include opening and closing limit meansrespectively comprising means for opening the opening circuit uponmovement of the gate element to the open position and openingl theclosing circuit upon movement of the gate element to the closedposition, the switch means including movable actuators normallyyieldingly urged to the off position and the opening and closingcircuits each including electrically actuated magnetic means formagnetically holding the switch actuators in the on positions inresponse to closing of the corresponding circuits.

The -main object of this invention is to provide a gate constructionconstructed in a manner whereby the driver of a vehicle may readily openthe gate from the approach side thereof and close the gate from thedeparture side thereof while remaining seated in the driver seat of avehicle.

A further object of this invention, in accordance with the immediatelypreceding object, is to provide a gate construction that may be readilyconstructed in various sizes without departing from the spirit of theinstant invention and which maybe installed by the average Workman.

Still another object of this invention is to provide a gateconstruct-ion in accordance with the preceding objects constructed in amanner whereby the operation of the gate element between -the open andclosed positions will be substantially foolproof, the actuating circuitsfor opening and closing the gates being automatically opened upon finalmovement of the gate element to the open and closed positions,respectively.

A final object of this invention to be specifically enumerated herein isto provide a gate construction in accordance with the preceding objectswhich will conform to conventional forms of manufacture, be of simpleconstruction and easy to use so as to provide a -device that will beeconomically feasible, long lasting and relatively troublefree inoperation.

These together with other objects and advantages which 3,257,756Patented June 28, 1966 will become subsequently apparent reside in thedetails of construction and operation as more fully hereinafterdescribed and claimed, reference being had to the ac= companyingdrawings forming a part hereof, wherein like numerals refer to likeparts throughout, and in which:

FIGURE 1 is a fragmentary side elevational view of a length of fencewith the gate construction of the instant invention interposed thereinand the gate element of the gate construction illustrated in the closedposition;

FIGURE 2 is a side elevational view similar to that of FIGURE 1 butshowing the gate element in the open position;

FIGURE 3 is an enlarged transverse vertical sectional view takensubstantially upon the plane indicated by the section line 3 3 of FIGUREl;

FIGURE 4 is an enlarged fragmentary transverse vertical sectional Viewtaken substantially upon the plane indicated by the section line 4 4 ofFIGURE 1;

FIGURE 5 is a fragmentary longitudinal vertical sec` tional View takensubstantially upon the plane indicated by the section line 5 5 of FIGURE4;

FIGURE 6 is an enlarged fragmentary horizontal sectional view takenlsubstantially upon the plane indicated by the section line 6 6 ofFIGURE l;V

FIGURE 7 is an enlarged fragmentary horizontal sectional view takensubstantially upon the plane indicated by the section line 7 7 of FIGURE2; and

FIGURE 8 is a diagrammatic view of the electric circuitry for actuatingthe gate assembly of the instant invention.

Referring now more specifically to the drawings the numeral 10 generallydesignates a fence construction including a pair of spaced upright posts12 and 14 between which an opening 16 through the fence construction 10is formed.

The fence construction additionally includes a pair of posts 1S and 20which, together with the post 14, form a part of the gate assembly andthe support and guide means for the movable upstanding gate sectiongenerally referred to by the reference numeral 22.

A rst upper track 24 is supported from the posts 14, 18 and 20 by meansof a plurality of upright supports 26, 28- and 30 while a second track32 is partially recessed in the ground 34 and extends from a pointapproximately midway between the posts 14 and 18 to the .post 12.

The gate section 22 has a lower grooved wheel 36 journaled from its freeend and an upper grooved wheel 38 journaled from an upstanding arm 40secured to the base 44 and 46 are supported from the post 14 by means ofabracket 48, see FIGURE 3, on opposite sides of the horizontal member 42for rotation about generally parallel upright axes, The guide rollers 44and 46 rollingly engage and thereby guide along the upper horizontalmember 42. In addition, a guide bar 50 is supported from the ground 34by means of a plurality of uprights 52, 54 and 56 and is disposedalongside and generally parallels the fencing 10 disposed between theposts 14 and 20.

The base end of the gate section 22 has a pair of rollers 58 and 60supported therefrom by means of-a bracket 62 for rotation aboutgenerally parallel upstanding axes disposed on opposite `sides of theguide bar 50 and the rollers 58 and 60 rollingly engage opposite sidesof the guide bar 50 during movement of the gate section 22 between theopen and closed positions.

A reversible electric motor 66 is mounted on the arm 40 and includes anOutput shaft 68 having a worm gear 70 mounted on its free end. The wormgear 70 is disposed within a gearing housing 72 and is meshed with agear wheel 74 that is mounted for rotation with an output shaft 76journaled in the housing 72 and projecting outwardly thereof at one end.The outwardly projecting end of the output shaft 76 has a gear wheel 78mounted thereon and the gear wheel 78 is meshed with a rack gear 8i)supported from the posts 14, 18 and 20 in any convenient manner andgenerally paralleling tracks 24 and 32.

With attention now directed to FIGURE 8 of the drawing it may be seenthat the motor 66 includes a rst ground conductor 84, a second conductor86 for supplying electrical potential to the motor 66 to effect itsoperation in one direction and a third conductor 88 for supplyingelectrical potential to the motor 66 to effect its operation in theopposite direction. The conductors 84, 86 and 38 are each flexible andextend from the motor 66 to an automatic winding assembly such as aspring reel 90, the ends of the conductors 84, 86 and 88 being woundabout the spring reel 90 and electrically connected to the conductors92, 94 and 96, respectively.

A plurality of actuating switches 98, 100, 102 and 104 are provided andeach includes a pair of spaced terminals 106 and 108. The groundterminal 92 is connected to a suitable source of electrical potentialand each of the terminals 108 has one end of a conductor 110electrically connected thereto, the other end of the conductor 110 beingconnected to the aforementioned source of electrical potential and anelectromagnet 112 being serially connected in each conductor 110. Eachof the switches includes a manual bridging element 114 and an actuatorbutton 116, the bridging elements each being normally urged by anyconvenient means to the off position opening the corresponding circuitand magnetically attractible toward the on position by the correspondingelectromagnet 112. A pair of bridging elements 118- and 120 electricallyconnect the terminals 106 of the switches 104 and 100 to a firstterminal 122 of a iirst limit switch 123. The second terminal 124 of thelimit switch 123 is electrically connected to the conductor 94. Abridging element 126 carried by one end of a shank 128 mounted forhorizontal longitudinal reciprocation from the rack gear 80 by means ofa sleeve 130 is operable to open and close the closing circuit and toelectrically connect the switches 100 and 104 to the electric motor 66when it bridges the terminals 122 and 124. The end of the shank 128remote from the bridging element 126 includes a laterally directedportion 132 which is slidably received in and projects through a rsthorizontal slot 134 formed in the rack gear 80 for engagement by theupright 135 of the gate section 22 upon final movement of the gatesection 22 to the closed position to move the bridging element 126 awayfrom a position bridging the terminals 122 and 124.

A pair of conductors 136 and 138 electrically connect the terminals 106of the switches 98 and 102 to the first contact or terminal 140 of asecond limit switch A142, the second terminal or contact 144 of thelim-it switch i142 being electrically connected to the conductor 96.

A second bridging ele-ment `146 is carried by one end of a shank 148corresponding to the shank 128 and is slidably received through a sleeve150 which is also supported from the rack gear 80. The end of the shank148 remote from the bridging element 146 includes a laterally directedend portion 152 which is slidably received in and projects through asecond slot 154 formed in the rack gear 80 and engageable by the upright136 to withdraw the bridging element `146 from engagement with thecontacts or terminals 140 and l142 as the gate section 22 moves towardits fully open position thereby opening the opening circuit electricallyconnecting the switches 98 and 102 to the electric motor 66.

From FIGURES 6 and 7 of the drawings it may be 4 seen that the bridgingelement 126 is insulatively supported from the shank 128 and it is to beunderstood that the bridging element 146 is also insulatively supportedfrom its supporting shank l148.

Additionally, an expansion spring 158 is connected between the laterallydirected end ypor-tion y148 and the rack gear and yieldingly urges theshank 128 to a position with the bridging element 126 bridging thecontacts or terminals 122 and "124. It is to be understood that theshank I148 is also provided with a similar expansion spring in orderthat the bridging element 146 will also be yieldingly urged toward aposition electrically connecting the contacts or terminals 140 and 144.

In operation, assuming that a road passes between the switches 98 and100 and the switches 102 and 104, as the driver approaches the closedgate section from the lower end of FIGURE 8, he may depress the actuatorbutton 116 of the switch 98 thereby actuating the opening circuit to theelect-ric motor 66. Actuating the circuit will of course effectoperation of the associated eleotromagnet 112 and thus hold the bridgingelement 114 in the closed position until such time as the closed gatesection 22 approaches its full open position wherein the upright 135thereof will engage the laterally directed end portion 152 and cause thebridging element 146 to be withdrawn from between the contacts orterminals 140 and 144 thereby opening the opening circuit to the motor66, the opening of this circuit causing the electromagnet 112 of theswitch 98 to be deenergized thereby enabling the bridging element 114 toret-urn to its normal open position illustrated in FIGURE 8. Then, afterthe driver of the vehicle passes through the opening 16, he may engagethe actuator button |116 of the switch 100 whereupon, inasmuch as themovement of t-he gate section 22 to the open position allows movement ofthe bridging element `126 to a position between the contacts orterminals 122 and 124, will Aclose the closing circuit to the electricmotor 66 and deflect movement of the gate section 22 toward the closedposition. As the gate section 22 reaches its limit of movement towardthe closed position, the upright will engage the laterally directed endportion -132 of the shank 128 and withdraw the bridging element 126 frombetween the contacts or termin-als 122 and 124 of the limit sw-itch 123.If the driver of a vehicle is approaching the gate section 22 when it isin the closed position from the top of FIGURE 8 of the drawings, thesame procedure is carried out for opening and closing the gate section22 except that the switches 102 and 104 are utilized in lieu of theswitches 98 and 100 4to open and close the gate section 22.

The'foregoing is considered as illustrative only of the principles ofthe invention. Further, since numerous modifications and changes willreadily occur to those skilled in the art, it is not desired Ito limitthe invention to the exact construction and operation shown anddescribed, and accordingly all suitable modifications and equivalentsm-ay be resorted to, Afalling within the Scope of the invention asclaimed.

What is claimed as new -is as follows:

I1. A power driven gate comprising support and guide means, anupstanding gate section mounted on said support and guide means formovement between open and closed positions, reversible electric motormeans operatively connected between said support and guide means andsaid gate section for moving said gate between said open and closedpositions, opening and closing actuating switch means, opening andclosing electric circuit means electrically connecting said actuatingswitch means to said motor means for effecting operation of said motormeans in opposite directions, a pair of independently operable limitswitch means operably connected between said gate section and saidsupport and guide means and electrically disposed in the opening andclosing circuit means for said opening and closing actuating means andoperable to open the circuit means to said opening and closing actuatingswitch means upon movement of said gate section to the open and closedpositions, respectively, thereby rendering the corresponding retentionmeans inoperable to retain the associated actuator in the on position,said limit switch means comprising two pairs of spaced contactssupported from said support and guide means and serially disposed in thecorresponding opening and closing circuitmeans, a pair of bridgingelements movably supported from said support and guide means andshiftable thereon between closed and open positions bridging and openingthe corresponding pair of spaced contacts in said opening and closingcircuits, means yieldingly urging the bridging elements toward the openpositions, said gate including means engageable with said bridgingelements and operable to urge said bridging elements of said closing andopening circuits toward their open positions in response to movement ofsaid gate to the closed and open positions, respectively.

2. A power driven gate comprising support and guide means, an upstandinggate section mounted on said support and guide means for movementbetween open and closed positions, reversible electric motor meansoperatively connected between said support and guide means and said gatesection for moving said gate between said open and closed positions, twopairs of opening and closing actuating switch means for disposition onopposite sides of said gate when in the closed position and on oppositesides of the road leading to and extending from said gate, opening andclosing electric circuit means 6 on position closing the correspondingcircuit means, a pair of independently operable limit switch meansoperably connected between said gate section and said support and guidemeans and electrically disposed in the opening and closing circuit meansfor said opening and closing actuating means and operable to open thecircuit means to said opening and closing actuating switch means uponmovement of said gate section to the open and closed positions,respectively, thereby rendering the corresponding retention meansinoperable to retain the associated actuator in the on position, saidlimit switch means comprising two pairs of spaced contacts supportedfrom said support and guide means and serially disposed in the`corresponding opening and closing circuit means, a pair of bridgingelements movably supported fromv said support and guide means andshiftable thereon between closed and open positions bridging and openingthe corresponding pair of spaced contacts in said opening and closingcircuits, means yieldingly urging the bridging elements toward the openpositions, said gate -including means i engageable with said bridgingelements and operable to urge said bridging elements of said closing andopening circuits toward their open positions in response to movement ofsaid gate to the closed and open positions, respectively.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 92,524 7/1896Goodale 39-95 1,057,547 4/1913 Heimer et al 268-53 1,478,446 12/ 1923McNish 39-7 1,499,735 7/1924 Hynes 268-53 1,952,681 3/1934 Peelle 268-53REINALDO P. MACHADO, Primary Examiner.

HARRISON R. MOSELEY, Examiner.

D. L. TAYLOR, Assistant Ezra/nine):y

1. A POWER DRIVEN GATE COMPRISING SUPPORT AND GUIDE MEANS, AN UPSTANDINGGATE SECTION MOUNTED ON SAID SUPPORT AND GUIDE MEANS FOR MOVEMENTBETWEEN OPEN AND CLOSED POSITIONS, REVERSIBLE ELECTRIC MOTOR MEANSOPERATIVELY CONNECTED BETWEEN SAID SUPPORT AND GUIDE MEANS AND SAID GATESECTION FOR MOVING SAID GATE BETWEEN SAID OPEN AND CLOSED POSITIONS,OPENING AND CLOSING ACTUATING SWITCH MEANS, OPENING AND CLOSING ELECTRICCIRCUIT MEANS ELECTRICALLY CONNECTING SAID ACTUATING SWITCH MEANS TOSAID MOTOR MEANS FOR EFFECTING OPERATION OF SAID MOTOR MEANS IN OPPOSITEDIRECTIONS, A PAIR OF INDEPENDENTLY OPERABLE LIMIT SWITCH MEANS OPERABLYCONNECTED BETWEEN SAID GATE SECTION AND SAID SUPPORT AND GUIDE MEANS ANDELECTRICALLY DISPOSED IN THE OPENING AND CLOSING CIRCUIT MEANS FOR SAIDOPENING AND CLOSING ACTUATING MEANS AND OPERABLE TO OPEN THE CIRCUITMEANS TO SAID OPENING AND CLOSING ACTUATING SWITCH MEANS UPON MOVEMENTOF SAID GATE SECTION TO THE OPEN AND CLOSED POSITIONS, RESPECTIVELY,THEREBY RENDERING THE CORRESPONDING RETENTION MEANS INOPERABLE TO RETAINTHE ASSOCIATED ACTUATOR IN THE ON POSITION, SAID LIMIT SWITCH MEANSCOMPRISING TWO PAIRS OF SPACED CONTACTS SUPPORTED FROM SAID SUPPORT ANDGUIDE MEANS AND SERIALLY DISPOSED IN THE CORRESPONDING OPENING ANDCLOSING CIRCUIT MEANS, A PAIR OF BRIDGING ELEMENTS MOVABLY SUPPORTEDFROM SAID SUPPORT AND GUIDE MEANS AND SHIFTABLE THEREON BETWEEN CLOSEDAND OPEN POSITIONS BRIDGING AND OPENING THE CORRESPONDING PAIR OF SPACEDCONTACTS IN SAID OPENING AND CLOSING CIRCUITS, MEANS YIELDINGLY URGINGTHE BRIDGING ELEMENTS TOWARD THE OPEN POSITIONS, SAID GATE INCLUDINGMEANS ENGAGEABLE WITH SAID BRIDGING ELEMENTS AND OPERABLE TO URGE SAIDBRIDGING ELEMENTS OF SAID CLOSING AND OPENING CIRCUITS TOWARD THEIR OPENPOSITIONS IN RESPONSE TO MOVEMENT OF SAID GATE TO THE CLOSED AND OPENPOSITIONS, RESPECTIVELY.